5 Year Tax Documentation

[PROzzie]

As we all know you are suppose to keep 5 years worth of records for SARS - more so with the new e-filing system. My question is, once you have your tax clearance from SARS (Presumably you say that you are emigrating) do you

1. Pack there documents in your container or

2. Do you make a nice bomb fire in the backyard?

Personally I would prefer option 2.

How do you start you new live with all these SA baggage?

Regards,

[Chazon]

Hi

Sorry but in accordance with the law you need to preserve the documents for 5 years. This does not mean that you have to have them on you at all times, but rather that they need to be accessible and obtainable for at least 5 years (depending on the Tax period this could equate to slightly more than 5 years) so you can leave them in SA, in a place of safe keeping, but again the onus is on you to ensure that they are not destroyed during that period.

Hope this helps

[PROzzie]

Thank you for your responce Chazon

Surely the tax clearance certificate will not be issued if any outstanding issue or questions or pending investigations may be an issue?

Will pack it up but I do feel that if SARS gives you the all clear -( I will not be leaving a forwarding address not to be funny but unknown.) surely SARS will not chase you up in Oz for issues after an all clear?

[Chazon]

Hi

Unfortunately the SARS official I spoke to was rather clear about the requirement… Whether or not they will “track you downâ€, I’m not sure, but it can be a huge pain to try and obtain old docs…